Driving Lesson
by sanctum-c
Summary: Aeris decides to give Tifa and Yuffie a driving lesson.


Close to an hour after Cloud, Barret and Nanaki vanished off on Bugenhagen's mysterious mission, Aeris grew restless. Technically the canyon offered a number of activities; talk with the Elders, sample more cocktails in the bar, study in the library, but none of those appealed. Perhaps they could simply enjoy more downtime and a break from their journey. Aeris settled back onto her hands. The blue sky spread wide above her. Nope. Needed to do something. One of the canyon's mechanics wandered past the Cosmo Candle. Ah. "Since the buggy's fixed, either of you want to learn how to drive?"

Yuffie shot to her feet with a whoop. "Finally."

Less enthusiasm from Tifa. "Not sure I'm up to it." Likely inferring Aeris's mad-cap fleeing the Shinra building. Tifa had clung white-knuckled to the dashboard and squads of motorcycle riding Shinra infantry harried them on all sides. Plausibly enough to put anyone off driving.

"I was thinking more moving forward and steering," Aeris said. She grinned at Yuffie's fallen expression. "Maybe the rest some other times. But you don't have to. It'd just be nice to have someone else driving so it's not always me and Cloud."

"I feel I should, but-" Tifa broke off when Aeris laid her hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be right with you." A glance to Yuffie. "And we are taking this slow." Another whine from the ninja and Tifa still not convinced. "Cait? How about you?" The mechanical moogle sat silently nearby. Aeris waved her hand up and down in front of both the cat and moogle portions. Nothing. "Guess it's just us."

Tida and Yuffie trailed after her when she clambered down to the ravine below the settlement. The Cosmo Canyon techs promised the engine would last until at least Nibleheim if they continued in the same direction. The town's name best not uttered much of late; neither Cloud nor Tifa liked hearing it. Maybe the driving lesson would distract Tifa from her hometown's proximity.

The buggy's interior still reeked; inevitable give the cramped, little ventilation and long hours crossing the desert. Sadly the air conditioner still did not work. Damned thing remained inoperable - no change there sadly. Tifa wrinkled her nose. "Forgot how bad it was in here."

Aeris settled into the passenger seat and rolled down the window. Heat rolled in and she frowned. Not the desired result. Driving should generate some breeze least. "If we keep the windows down, it should be bearable." And maybe they could get a few of those scented things people dangled from the rear-view mirrors. Or a truckload of flowers. "Okay; who's first?" Despite a raised eyebrow in Tifa's direction, Yuffie pushed past her and dropped into the driver's seat instead. She wrenched the ignition, one hand fumbling for the built-in stereo, her foot stomping the accelerator to the floor. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

"What?" Yuffie wrenched the radio's dial picking up little but the hiss of distant stars, accelerator still flat against the floor. "Stupid thing."

"The canyon isn't going to help reception." Tifa wisely strapped in one of the seats behind them. Good plan; Aeris pulled her own seatbelt around her.

"Yuffie, stop," Aeris said force. "Music is not the important part. You have to put the car in gear first."

"Gear? Oh. Is that when it goes-" Yuffie made a filmic approximation of the noise of an engine in a film when it up-shifted.

"Yes," Aeris replied weakly. Perhaps her and Cloud doing the driving would be best. "But it's not solely about going faster. You have to start off on the lowest gear and go up to the highest."

"I get it." Yuffie strained against the shifter, her foot again pressing on the accelerator. "C'mon."

"Stop!" Aeris yelled. Yuffie glared at her. "You are going to wreck the clutch like that. Please, let me talk you through it." Yuffie huffed, folded her arms and stared out the windshield. Tifa shot Aeris an encouraging smile; Aeris started from first principles and introduced Yuffie to the clutch pedal. Twice. Plus the brake and indicators for good measure.

Yuffie stopped staring ahead and soon hung on Aeris's every word. Good. She started the buggy up exactly as instructed when Aeris talked her through the steps, put it in gear, checked the various mirrors - plus the blind spot - and set the vehicle moving forward at a snail's pace. Behind her the squeak of a leather seat indicated Tifa getting tenser. Aeris told Yuffie off when she clicked the radio back on; still nothing but white noise from the speakers. Yuffie clutched at the wheel, shifting the gears up to go a little faster. The hiss from the radio became annoying. Aeris reached to turn it off-

A burst of something music-like erupted from the speakers. Yuffie's focus went straight to it, her foot pressing down on the accelerator again, the keening of the engine building. "Yuffie," Aeris said in exasperation. No response. The keening grew louder, the burst of music coming in pulses as Yuffie tried to pin down the right frequency. "Right." She snapped the radio off and aimed her foot squarely at the brake. "You've got the basics; now it's Tifa's turn."

Yuffie muttered and vacated the seat with reluctance. A nervous Tifa asked Aeris to repeat all her previous instructions in full. A far more diligent student than the ninja and she listened from the start. She got right up to starting the buggy when Aeris stopped her. A new concern.

"Before we get you driving, maybe we should check the engine? It's hot out here and we don't want to break down a few miles down the road and need to walk." Too many dodgy mechanics back in Midgar; easy to make a quick check.

The sun hung low in the sky but the air remained sweltering. At least they had not travelled far from the ladder up to the plateau. Well within walking distance. Aeris popped the bonnet of the buggy and a wave of heat swept across her, sweat beading on her brow. "Phew!" She tugged at her neckline and leant over into the inferno. Quick check of the various engine components and at least only one concern. "I don't like the look of that radiator hose." She pointed down to the relevant part of the engine. "Easy fix though."

Spare components in the buggy, including a new hose. "This one's an easy fix." She leant over the engine, hiking one leg up on and onto the buggy's body to get close enough. A pause and she hiked her skirt higher. Better. "One of the hose ends is dodgy." Aeris plugged the new hose in place of the old. "Maybe I should go over some of the other easy fixes later." Aeris straightened up and trailed off.

"I-" Tifa stuttered, glanced away and clamped her mouth shut, her face bright red. Yuffie doubled over laughing.

"Are you okay?" Aeris shifted her dress on her shoulders and fanned her face. Tifa shot a mortified look at Yuffie and darted past Aeris. She took a glance - far too quick - at the engine and rushed to the door.

"Thanks for showing-" Tifa stopped when Yuffie laughed harder. "Can we leave her?"

Aeris pursed her lips. "Tempting. Okay; let's do it." Tifa flushed again but ducked into the buggy. Yuffie reacted faster than expected and managed to scramble in on Aeris's heels. Shame. Tifa gripped the steering wheel tight. "Ready to try again?" Tifa nodded and ran through the relevant steps. Aeris pulled down the visor and checked the mirror. No oil splatter on her face. A faint sheen lay on her exposed skin, hair slightly damp. Nothing on her clothes; she had avoided brushing against the engine. What had fazed Tifa so? She shook her head and again tugged at her neckline. Still warm; she tugged her skirt away from her legs and removed her jacket. Yuffie continued to cackle about something hilarious.


End file.
